1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a display device for use in an electronic timepiece, particularly to an improved display means for displaying multiple functions in addition to time indication including the month, date and day of the week.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, electronic digital timepieces have displayed the time, month, date and day of the week only. However, electronic timepieces have been continually developed and it has recently been possible to add many functions, i.e., blood pressure meter, clinical thermometer and the like, to the conventional time display and in combination with various kinds of sensors. However, display is a great problem in a timepiece with multiple functions.
In case of displaying time indication only, display "12:34" means 12 hours 34 minutes, customarily. In more complicated case, the display "12:34.sub.26 " implies 12 hours 34 minutes 26 seconds or 12 hours 24 minutes on the 26th day. A bearer easily may become familiar with such an abbreviated time display in a short time, since the unit or digit can be determined by use of a simple rule. However, a timepiece with multiple functions has to display, by the use of different units, temperature .degree. C., blood pressure value and the like, respectively. As a counter measure for this purpose, it is conceivable that a unit display element is arranged independently of the display of numerals. For example, in a digital chronometer, there is an available system in which the display "LAP" to display a lap time is positioned at a place where the numeral elements of the display are not located. However, this system is not convenient because of the timepiece being consequently complex in construction and large in size.
For example, when the display of a wrist watch with an electronic calculator is used as a calculator, time display numerals are utilized without the time display exclusive mark, i.e. a colon and the like, positioned between the numerals. In this sytem, the display used as a calculator is not uniform constant in the spaces between numerals, so that determination of unit is difficult and unnecessary space is required. In the case of its use for displaying time, even if there are six units of hours, minutes and seconds, most conventional devices have the display with eight digits, which is popular in the present table-type calculator. As a result, only six digits are displayed and its appearance is not good.
If the numeral segments are equally spaced and time marks such as colons, etc. are inserted into spaces between the numeral segments, the display is preferable in its appearance when used as a display for an electronic calculator, but the time display is not convenient since it is extremely narrowed. As functions other than the time display are not utilized simulatneously, a portion of the display surface is occupied by inactive display segments and an undesirable impression is effected by design.